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Storms, floods kill at least 158 in Mozambique

At least 158 people have been killed as floods plagues central and northern Mozambique, said the state news agency AIM.

More than 177,000 people were affected, many of them displaced as severe weather destroys 654 schools, 7 health centers and more than 100 places of worship, reported AIM.

Meantime, a cholera outbreak in Nampula, Niassa and Tete provinces have has killed at least 19 people, from a total of 1,671 cases, said the Deputy Health Minister

“Since mid-December, consistent and significantly heavy rainfall has been received over southeastern Africa. In parts of southern Malawi, as well as, central and northern Mozambique, these rains have resulted in widespread flooding, extensive damage to crops, livestock and infrastructure, thousands of displaced people, and fatalities. The excess moisture also has elevated the risk for downstream river inundation along the Shire, Licungo, Zambezi, Mazoe, Pungue, and Save Rivers in the region. Above-average rain forecast for the next week will keep flooding risks elevated,” said NOAA

Locust plague threatens livelihoods of 60% of Madagascar population

Locust infestations is threatening the livelihoods of 13 million Malagasy, about 60 percent of the population, nine million of whom entirely depend on Agriculture.

The locust could wipe out food crops and livestock grazing lands and destroy the peasant families’ ability to provide for themselves, said the FAO.

“The heart of the locust plague is in the country’s southwestern region – an area prone to drought and cyclones, where more than 80 percent of the people live below the poverty line. In February 2013, Cyclone Haruna flooded rice fields in the region’s coastal areas – rice production is central to Madagascar’s economy – causing significant damage while also creating ideal breeding conditions for locusts. ”

More than 1.5 million hectares, some two-thirds of the country, could be infested by locusts by September 2013, said FAO.

A locust plague can last more than a decade, if left untreated, progressively intensifying each season. Tens of billion of locusts devastate food crops, as well as grazing lands, which are vital for keeping livestock healthy and productive.

Adult Migratory Locusts can multiply quickly, forming highly mobile groups and swarms. Depending on its size, a swarm – made up of millions of locusts – can eat up to 100 000 tonnes of green vegetation per day. A locust plague – which is what Madagascar is now facing – means thousands of swarms. That translates to billions of locusts. —FAO

Maize prices soared by 231 percent in Malawi

The southern African nation of Malawi is experiencing a maize shortage after two consecutive dry seasons. Maize is Malawi’s staple diet, accounting for 90 percent of all caloric intake, said a report.

“A 50-kg bag of maize used to cost around 13 dollars, but now the price has more than doubled to about 30 dollars – way above the earnings of those living in dire poverty, on less than 20 dollars a month.”

The food situation has further worsened recently, as 30,000 metric tons of maize held in the strategic grain reserves were spoiled.

Queues at Malawi’s state-run maize traders are never-ending as thousands of people wait for days to purchase the staple crop. At the Lilongwe Admarc people sleep overnight in the queue as they wait for a chance to buy maize. More than two million people are facing food shortages this year due to the prolonged dry spells and soaring food prices. Credit: Mabvuto Banda/IPS

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Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Death toll in Dhaka building collapse tops 300

Death toll in Dhaka building collapse had reached 304, as of posting, and the authorities feared that hundreds of others were still trapped in the wreckage.

The building housed factories that made low-cost garments for Western brands, especially the European and North American chains, said a report.

About 60 percent of Bangladesh’s low-cost garment exports go to Europe, 23 percent to the U.S., and 5 percent to Canada.

“Wednesday’s collapse was the third major industrial incident in five months in Bangladesh. In November, a fire at the Tazreen Fashion factory on the outskirts of Dhaka killed 112 people.”

Some 3,122 people, most of them female garment workers, were in the Rana Plaza building at the time of collapse despite warnings that it was structurally unsafe, officials said.

About 2,350 people have been rescued from the wreckage, but more than half of them injured.

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DISASTER CALENDAR – April 26, 2013—SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,051 Days Left

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,051 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human History

NOTE: On January 29, 2013, WordPress/Google again tightened access to this blog, reducing traffic by a further 75 percent.

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A storm system in the Mozambique Channel threatens to bring even more heavy rains to much of Mozambique and Madagascar, exacerbating the current flood situation, said UN OCHA.

“The Ministry of Agriculture’s preliminary assessment indicates about 191,315 ha (473,000 acres) have been affected by floods, including 166,278 ha of cultivated land destroyed. The most affected province is Gaza, followed by Inhambane and Maputo.”

Other affected provinces include Zambezia and Cabo Delgado.

Hundreds of cases of cholera infections and at least 2 related deaths have been reported in Cabo Delgado province between 28 January and 13 February 2013, according to the Ministry of Health.

Extreme rain events have triggered severe flooding in several other southern African countries, including Zambia, Malawi, South Africa and northern Zimbabwe.